Debt is not your friend.

Debt is stressful. I'll be the first one to admit it. I have no idea why I'm stressed more about it now that I make twice what I was making last year - but it seems to have snowballed. And I feel out of control.

I do have some credit card debt, but the bulk of it is student loans and that precious little car that I drive around.

Monthly payments just creep up on me like nobody's business. $50 bucks here for one student loan... $50 bucks there for another one... $200 here for the HUGE student loan... then there's my tag renewal that's coming up and I may or may not have to pay the IRS a shit-ton of money.

Then there are credit card payments galore. I think I might vomit just thinking about it. It's all manageable, but it is seriously holding me back from any fun there is to be had.

I've read the Total Money Makeover and feel like this plan is "feasible" but it is SO depressing to know that you work SO hard and make a pretty good deal of money... just to see it gone before you even get it.

I know I'm the one that put myself in this mess, and I'll certainly be the one to get myself out.... it just takes a lot of discipline.

I know that getting a weekend job serving somewhere would help me do it faster... but I can't seem to find a place that wants to hire someone with such limited availability. I may look into that this week.

Such a random post. And how appropriate that Pandora is playing "Somewhere in between" by Lifehouse. Love this song... ;)

Job Update

So, the pub I was supposed to start working at never came through. I was literally "hired" at the place, just needed a firm 'show up at this time' for training. Well, I called, I did my part - and that never happened.

So, I've written them off and I applied at another pub yesterday, this one a LOT closer to my place. Still just as packed. Still the potential to make shit tons of moolah.

I talked to the guy at the Part Time Marketing Coordinator gig yesterday. He is in the process of setting me up with an interview with the President of the place. This is HUGE, imo. So, hopefully I'll hear back from him soon with word on when that'll take place.

I also got an email from the lady at the consulting company. We're talking about projects.

All in all, things are looking up - but they're taking their sweet ass time. I know I sound super depressed, but life is a bit difficult at the moment. Oh, and the biatch that rented my place in Atlanta still hasn't paid me December's rent or utilities.

Stressed. Out. :)

10 [exciting] Things about this week...

1. You know that study abroad program I've been talking about for, like, ever now??!? WELLLllllll... I had an interview (impromptu, might I add) with the sponsor of the trip and he wants me to go!!! So that means I'm accepted into the program and I get to go to Italy for Maymester!!! This also means other great things for my school stuff. I only have to take ONE class this summer and I'll be done! Which means I'll technically be able to start working as much as I'd like and that'll be fabulous! I'm going to need it to pay off the cost of this trip, but it's so worth it! I got the good news yesterday and I couldn't be more excited.

2. Carrie comes to see me in exactly 27 days. OMG, it's finally here!! I cannot WAIT!! We're going to go see Confessions of a Shopaholic (I'm so glad she's waiting to see it with me - you have NO idea how big of a deal it is for her to actually wait to see a movie!)

3. Michael invited me to go HOME with him to meet his parents, etc. (yes, HOME is a different city and state and timezone...) This just happened today. Ummmm I kinda freaked out for a second but I'm really excited! We had actually planned this for the Christmas holidays but it didn't end up working out like that. So, he wanted to go for a short weekend in two weeks for his son's birthday and wants me to come. That's $180 round trip for a plane ticket. I feel like it's worth it, though. :) This is a huge step in our relationship, by the way...

4. I called my credit card company (the one I have with the whopping almost 6 grand in fun money on it) and had my interest rate lowered from 18.9 (who the fuck has an 18.9% interest rate with my credit score?!) to 3.99.... fabulous!! I don't know why I never thought to ask for a lower interest rate before. I just thought that's what you had to pay. I've been hearing from other people that they've called and now have been able to pay off their card - instead, I feel like I've been paying them a shit ton of interest these past few years. :)

5. Blaire is moving back to the city THIS WEEKEND!! I'm SO excited for her! She'll be closer and I'll be able to see her more often :)

6. Rae moved out a week ago and I'm still looking for a roommate. I've posted an ad on craigslist but haven't found anything just yet... gotta keep looking!

7. My Nutrition class was supposed to have a test on Tuesday. My teacher sent an email (that I didn't get) and said we were going to have it next week instead... this means I get more time to prepare for it. MUCH needed, thank you! I absolutely LOVE this class. I give Carrie the good scoop every Tuesday once I get out.

8. I start my nanny job on Monday. I'll be making about 300 bucks a week for about 20 hours (FABULOUS!!) and then I have Thursday mornings and Saturday nights at the restaurant. That should make up the difference for all of my bills. :) I can't wait to start this nanny job - I'm going to have so much homework time - I'll actually be caught up with all of my classes.

9. I finally have all of my W2's and can go get my taxes done. I'm a bit timid about it because of the work I did for one of my marketing projects over the summer. I made about 3,000 with them and didn't pay taxes on it at the time - I hope it's not a huge whammy this time!

10. I went to my small group thing (DEFINITELY going to love it... not what I thought initially) on Tuesday night. The girls are really nice and I think I'm going to connect with at least some of them. I volunteered to host the next one on Tuesday at my house, so hopefully that will go well! :)

Wow. It's been such a great week... I love it! I can't wait for all of this fun stuff to happen! I've got to go ahead and get my passport (yep, almost 25 and don't have a passport yet...) so I'll have it for my trip. That's another hundred bucks right there!!

I hope you all have had a lovely week and have a fabulous weekend! :)